Two KRA officers swept by floods yet to be found, vehicle retrieved in Kwale

The identities of the two Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officers who went missing after their vehicle was swept away by floods in Kwale County have been revealed.

The officers are Joram Maina, the Lungalunga Border Management Committee Chairperson and David Ng'ang'a.

The two were traveling to Mombasa from Lunga Lunga on Friday, November 17, when the incident occurred at Ramisi River.

The Interior Ministry confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, November 19 and expressed condolences to the families and friends of the missing officers.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said that the vehicle has been pulled out from the water and towed to Msambweni Police station on Saturday, November 18.

However, the bodies of the two officers are yet to be found.

"A multi-agency team led by the Kenya Coast Guard Service is on scene trying to retrieve the bodies," said Omollo.

"On behalf of the Border Control and Coordination Committee and as its Chairperson, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends at this difficult time," he added.

Omollo's statement comes even as heavy rains and floods have ravaged the Coast region in the last five days leaving behind a trail of deaths, destruction, and displacement of thousands of families.

The death toll caused by the rains and floods rose to 11 on Saturday after a boda boda rider drowned near Mwatate in Taita-Taveta County. The body of the 24-year-old, Iddi Daudi, was retrieved from the muddy culvert.

Government officials said several other people are missing, and over 20,000 people are displaced in the six counties of Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Kwale, and Taita Taveta.

"So far, one person has died in Mombasa, three in Kwale, three in Kilifi, and two in Tana River," said Coast Regional Coordinator Rodah Onyancha.

The most affected counties by the floods are Tana River and Mombasa, where several households have been displaced.

In Tana River, over 5,000 families have since evacuated. The River Tana has burst its banks forcing the residents to move to higher grounds. A spot check by The Standard spotted hundreds of residents displaced in Tana River heading to the Gamba area.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned of more rainfall in the coming days and urged the public to avoid crossing flooded rivers and low-lying areas.

Ms Onyancha said the Government has launched an operation to move thousands of residents living along the River Tana, which has continued to swell, to higher grounds.

She said 3, 892 families in Mombasa have been affected by the heavy rains and floods, adding that at least 300 families have no place to sleep after their houses were marooned or swept away by the raging floods.